Running Out of Time
by Jaemz Mio
Summary: What happens when your time is limited, and your sister's fate lays in your wounded hands? What would you do? Where would you go? Who would you turn to to save your best friend?
1. Chapter 1 First Day

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing; Stephenie and JK own these worlds. I just slammed them together.  
**Note:** Dubra is VERY cheap vodka sold at supermarkets in CT. (It's disgusting, but as I said, very cheap). Please also know, that the characters are probably going to be a tad OOC. I'm trying to blend two totally different words, and making everyone non-magical. Hermione, Harry, and Ron in a regular high school? Unheard of! Bella and the gang associating with wizards? Bizarre! So read! And then tell me what you think! This is my first fic of this kind, so don't forget to tell me how I'm doing!  
**Warning:** There is going to be violence in the story (hence the story's M rating. Please be aware!

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Hermione's cheek bone throbbed, and she struggled to keep her eye open. She could taste the blood in her mouth and knew her lip was definitely split. Isabella lay unconscious at the end of the hall mere feet away from where Hermione was crumpled on the floor seemed like miles. She rolled onto her belly and slid snake style across the hardwood floor. She knew she would have slivers later, but that didn't matter at the moment. She slid until she was face to face with Isabella and gently stroked her fingers down her sister's nose. "Wake up. Please wake up."

* * *

The TV downstairs was blaring. The man's loud laughter filled the air. Hermione and Isabella were upstairs. Both sat quietly at a table in the corner working on their homework. They knew better than to goof off before homework was done. They knew better than to goof off at all.

When they heard the opening theme song of Jeopardy they both slammed their books shut and shoved them into their respective backpacks. Isabella tip toed as quickly as possible down the back staircase and into the kitchen, and Hermione went down the front stairs and into the laundry room. She opened the dryer, and breathing a sigh of relief when she beat the buzzer, dropped the dry clothes into the basket. She then popped open the washer and quickly switching laundry over.

In the kitchen, Isabella pulled the turkey out of the oven, placing it carefully on the stove top and replacing it with potatoes and gravy. She pulled the tin foil out of the drawer and wrapped the turkey in it while she waited for the rest of the food to cook.

By the time the closing theme was playing on the TV, both Isabella and Hermione were seated at the neatly set table- their hands folded neatly in their laps, their food placed neatly on their plates. He stumbled into the room smelling strongly of Dubra and cigarettes. The girls watched as he pulled his chair out noisily and plopped down.

"The fuck are you two staring at?" He voice was horse from years of nothing but nicotine nursed with alcohol. Their eyes shifted downward to their plates. "What the fuck is this shit?" He lifted his slice of turkey up with his fork and shook it at Isabella. "I asked you a fucking question, Isabella!" Before she could even think of answering he was out of his chair, and her sweater was twisted into his fist. "All I fucking ask of you is to make some decent food around here once in a while. What. Is. This. Shit?" His face was purple, and when Isabella saw the little vein in his forehead was twitching she knew there was no point in saying anything. "You wanna make me fucking dog food? Then you eat like a fucking dog!" With that, he threw her to the floor. Her head smacked the corner of the cabinets under the sink, and she knew she was going to have a nasty bruise there tomorrow. "Take this to your fucking sister." He shoved Isabella's plate at Hermione who took it to the floor. "You can eat down there too." Hermione nodded, and sat on the floor next to her sister.

The next morning came too soon, and Isabella's head was still throbbing when she when her alarm clock started screaming. Groaning, she shuffled quietly to the mirror, staring her own reflection down, she decided that her bruise was small enough to let be without make up. She sighed and finished dressing for school, making sure Hermione was up and ready as well. "Hermione, come on, we're going to be late." Isabella ushered her sister through the kitchen door and out into the crisp September air.

"Your forehead is pretty bad," Hermione said pointing to Isabella's face, "Why didn't you cover it up? You always cover it up."

"Just don't point it out during school." Isabella shrugged in response, pulling her bangs over the welt subconsciously.

The first day of a new year was always rough on Isabella. It was a whole new round of teachers that needed to be lied to, and prying counselors that needed to be dodged. As she waiting in line outside of her homeroom, she thought of her bruise, and hoped that no one would notice it. It was silly not to cover it up, but maybe since it was the first day, she could get away with no questions asked.

When Mr. Cullen beckoned the class in, he checking off names as the line went past him. "Name please?"

"Isabella Granger." Isabella tried to walk by with her head down, but Mr. Brandon put out a hand out to stop her.

"That's a pretty nice shiner you've got there Miss Granger, what happened to you?" His voice was concerned, but not prying in the way Isabella knew his wife to be.

Thinking fast she responded with, "Oh, Slammed into the shower door last night." She could feel the heat rise to her face in blush, but continued to her seat next to her friend Alice.

"Bella!" Alice squealed leaning over her seat and grabbing Isabella and a very tight hug. "How the hell are you? And what the hell happened to your forehead? How was your summer? Why didn't we even hang out once? Let me see your schedule. When am I gonna see you all day?" Isabella ignored all of the questions, and handed Alice her daily schedule, there was no use in attempting to catch up. Alice was a million mile a minute kind of girl. "Oh good, we have Trig and lunch together, and you've got English and French with Rosalie."

"Alice, slow down. I've missed 75 percent of what you've said." Isabella laughed, but Alice continued chattering.

"Oh- my- God! He got FINE over the summer!" Alice held the 'm' in summer as she pointed towards the front of the room. A tall copper haired boy walked in just as the first bell was ringing. Isabella nodded in agreement as Edward Masen took his seat behind Alice.

"Hey Alice, how was your summer?" As Alice went off on a tangent about visiting New York and shopping in the city with her aunt, Edward turned to Bella. "Hey." His voice was quiet enough to not interrupt Alice, but she could have sworn his eyes twinkled when he said her name.

Across the school, Hermione was already seated in homeroom nervously chewing on her thumb. Mrs. Cullen was a teacher Isabella had the year before, and the wife of Isabella's homeroom teacher. Hermione knew that Mrs. Cullen was someone who is was always on the lookout for signs of unrest at home. She needed to be careful- very careful.

Mrs. Cullen did role call as soon as the first bell rang, going backwards in alphabetical order to "spice things up" as she put it.

"Hermione Granger! I had your sister last year, nice to have you!" She was cheery, but Hermione caught her doing the "Cullen Once-Over" as Isabella had called it not too long ago. Hermione knew better than to make or hold eye contact for too long.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a tap on the shoulder. "Jesus, Hermione, you'd think a gunshot went off!" Harry sat snickering behind her.

"Sorry, I just…" Harry stopped her.

"It's fine, I get it. I saw Bella's forehead." His voice was a whisper

"Harry, it's not what you…"

"Don't make excuses. I already know." Hermione sighed. She hated that Harry knew her secret. It was one she had promised to never tell. And technically, she hadn't- Harry had guessed after seeing the bruises on Hermione's arm during swim class last spring. "I hate that he hurts you. Can I really do nothing?" Hermione shook her head.

"Please, if you're really my best friend, you won't say a word."

"Okay, you have my promise." The shook hands as the second bell rang, signifying the end of homeroom, and the start to a very long day, and a long year.

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**Please don't forget to review! I need your feedback! Reviews get a teaser! *hugs!*  
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	2. Chapter 2 Tough Break

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing; Stephenie and JK own these worlds. I just slammed them together.  
**Note:** I think I forgot to mention in the last note, that no one is magical/or mystical in any way shape or form other than plain awesomeness. This is an AU/AH Crossover. Sorry this took so long. Writers block hit me and I had a hard time ending this chapter... I'll try to get on a regular schedule.

* * *

_The first night of school she had done everything right. He hadn't insulted either Isabella or Hermione, screamed, or thrown fists. Both girls had been upstairs working on homework by eight thirty, and in bed by ten. It wasn't until just past midnight that Isabella was smacked with the realization that the night had been too good to be true. When the bed dipped behind her, she froze- her breath hitched in her throat and her eyes flew open._

"_Get up- don't make a sound." His voice was brusque, and she could smell the Dubra and stale cigarettes on his breath. She started to tremble as she rose from the bed, she could feel him close behind her. "Fucking hell, Isabella, put on some God damn clothes… no wonder people call you a whore." _

No they don't_ Isabella mumbled, she was the most modest of all her friends _and_ she knew for a fact that he hadn't been into town, or out of the house even, in months. Besides, she was dressed perfectly fine for bed. Her sweatpants were probably a little too long and baggy to be honest, and it was still too warm to wear anything but a tank top to sleep. _

"_Excuse me?" He shriek in her ear, She could have kicked herself for chancing the whisper, "The fuck did you just say to me?"_

"_No-no-nothing!" She yelped as he yanked her pony tail hard. Out of the corner of her eye she saw her sister shoot out of bed. Yanking Isabella harder, he swung forward and grabbed Hermione's wrist dragging her from the bed to the floor. _

"_Fucking repent. I swear, I'll give you punishment to your sister. Do _you_ think she deserves the punishment of a whore?" He twisted Hermione's wrist harder and she cried out. Isabella cringed._

"_No! Don't! Okay, okay- Forgive me father for I have sinned. I lied to James, I lied to you. I am a whore." Hot tears fell down Isabella's cheek, pooling on her chin. James dropped Hermione to the floor before dragging Isabella into the hall. _

_After a few good blows to her ribs in his steel toed boots and a final stomp on her wrist, James bored of dishing out 'punishments' went to bed. Although James wasn't particularly religious, he believed he was entrusted by God to give rightful blows to people who deserved them, and first on his list were Isabella and Hermione. When James dished out 'punishments' he often did so while drunkenly singing a hymnal song. Tonight's song of choice was Amazing Grace. _

_Too weak and too tired to move, Isabella thought about the irony in James' insistence on singing songs like Amazing Grace. Wondering when Grace would teach his heart to fear, she let sleep overcome her in the middle of the hall. _

_The following three nights were much of the same; each night ending with a stomp to a different body part. On the third night, Isabella woke up before the bed dipped. The clock was blinking eleven fifty-nine, and she watched as the time and date changed. _

"_Midnight, September thirteenth, happy birthday to me" Isabella was less than excited at turning 18, just another year and another birthday bringing her farther and farther away from when her life was nice. When her life was happy. _

_His final stomp came at exactly one twenty four, just a minute shy of the exact time Isabella was born._

Happy birthday, Belly!" Hermione shook her sister awake. It was still dark outside but the alarm clock beamed lasers of six-thirty A.M. With a groan, Isabella opened her eyes and pulled her sister into a tight one armed hug. Hermione eyed Isabella's immobile arm, but said nothing reading something in her sister's face she couldn't recognize.

"Thanks H." The two got up and got ready for school in silence, taking the half mile trek to the bus stop in quick strides. The temperature was dropping, and Isabella knew that it was time to get warmer jackets, and since last year's jackets would no longer fit, they were going to have to figure out a way to buy them.

"It's getting really cold really quickly," Hermione commented, as she stood slightly shivering, "Maybe we could stop at the Salvation Army after school? Then we can go get a little slice of cake from Jeremy's deli for your birthday. We'd still be home before him." Isabella nodded in agreement, knowing that her sister enjoyed birthdays; she would let her have this little bit of happiness. As the bus pulled to a stop in front of them Isabella realized she needed to come up with a plan to explain her painful wrist.

Her body swayed in the chair and her eyebrows drooped as Mr. Cullen droned on about Romeo and Juliet's infamous debacle during first period; needless to say she was _exhausted_. Not sleeping the last few nights had certainly taken its toll on her body. Rosalie was absent, as was Rosalie's boyfriend, Emmett so there was no one to keep Isabella awake and occupied. She laid her head down own her folded (good) arm and closed her eyes. She knew it was wrong to fall asleep, but she could help it. Even with her other wrist throbbing, she managed to doze off for a few minutes

When the bell rang she bolted out of her seat, she needed to avoid the watchful eye of Mr. Cullen.

"Bella! Happy Birthday! Are you so excited to be 18? We've got to go out after school today! Cake at Jeremy's seems appropriate. Did you know your shoes are…" Alice started, grabbing Isabella by the wrist. Isabella let out a yelp and jerked her arm away, "Bella! What's wrong?"

"What are you talking about?" Isabella quickly composed herself and tried to keep the pain out of her voice. "We need to go or we're going to be late."

"You just screamed when I touched your arm" Alice looked at her questioningly, "Actually, your arm does look a little off. Bells- what the hell did he do to you?"

"Nothing! Alice, look what time it is! We really need to go." Before Alice could say anything more she took off towards the stairs. She knew Alice was behind her somewhere, but still far back enough that her plan might just work- and there were still plenty of people in the hall. She held her breath as she stepped off the first stair. It wasn't even that much more painful as she rolled down the rest.

There were a hundred "Oh my God!"s and some "Bella!"s from various directions, but the voice that stood out most was Alice's.

"Bella! Are you alright? Someone get the nurse! I think she broke her arm." Students scattered, and Isabella heard a teacher yell that she was getting help. Alice leaned in next to her, pulling her into a sitting position. "I know what you just did. You might get away with it with them, but it's not going to work on me."

"Get out of the way!" The school nurse, Mrs. Clearwater barked at the onlookers, "Move!" She pushed through a gaggle of freshman boys, bursting out right in front of Isabella. After the crowd was clear Isabella, Alice and Mrs. Cullen, who was conveniently standing in the hall at the time, all followed Mrs. Clearwater back to her office.

"Oh, Bella! What happened here?" Mrs. Clearwater put a bag of ice on top of Isabella's arm

"My shoes were untied."

Mrs. Clearwater shook her head, "I'm going to make it mandatory that all you kids wear Velcro shoes kindergarten through senior year. Well, you did quite a bang up job here; I'm unfortunately going to have to send you over to the emergency room. Let me just call your uncle and let him know…"

"No!" Isabella accidentally shouted, "I mean, he's been really sick this week, I wouldn't –uhm- want you to wake him up. Really, it's okay, today is my eighteenth birthday. I can go myself." Mrs. Clearwater didn't like the idea, and Mrs. Cullen nearly through a fit, but they conceded and allowed Alice to drive Isabella to the emergency room. Before leaving, however, Isabella insisted on finding Hermione and taking her too. She didn't want to be anywhere near a place with mandated reporters without her sister, hallway full of witnesses or not, she knew a doctor who was looking for clues would see the difference on an X-Ray. Isabella had enough knowledge of the system to know that.

After Isabella had painfully had her arm reset and the X-Rays finally came back, the Orthopedic doctor decided Isabella did, in fact, need a plaster cast. "Alright Isabella, we're going to cast you, and you'll keep it on for six weeks. In six weeks, you come back, we'll X-Ray you again make sure everything is healing properly." Isabella held still as the doctor wrapped her arm up, and she even felt like a little kid when the doctor asked what color she wanted. She wished she had had a camera to take a picture of Alice's face when she chose black.

"Well, they didn't have brown, and my next favorite color is onyx." Alice rolled her eyes and Hermione shrugged.

"Well, now we can sign in silver Sharpie." Hermione laughed as they left the office. All three girls stopped dead as they came out into the waiting room.

"Good to see you've been taken care of, Miss Granger. Would you mind if I had a word with the Grangers, Alice? I'll only steal them for a second." Isabella caught the look of pure panic in Hermione's eyes when Mrs. Cullen pulled them into the ER hallway. "I want to know what really happened here, Isabella. I know you're not telling the whole truth." Although her lip trembled, Isabella remained silent. "Fine, Hermione, do you really want your sister to suffer? Are you suffering too? You don't need to live life like this, you know? Life isn't about pain. Trust me, I _know _it's hard to see that right now, but I can help you. You just have to let me."

"I… I don't know what you're talking about, Mrs. Cullen, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I made Hermione skip class today. She'll make it all up for homework tonight if that's okay?" Isabella grabbed her frozen in place sister with her good arm and started to pull her back towards Alice

"I know you're not being truthful Isabella and Hermione," Mrs. Cullen stepped back in front of them, "Something is going on at home, and I'm going to find out what it is."

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**End Note:** So a huge THANK YOU goes out to my one official review last chapter, the few of you who I hunted down and messaged, and my many Story Alerts/Story favorites. Please keep the feedback coming (or start the feedback rather)? I don't know how I'm doing if you don't tell me!

**Fic Rec:** A Thousand Leaves by BellaSunshine. I really have no words for this. Edward is in jail for killing Bella's mother, and I can't really say more without rambling and giving it all away, but go read it! I anxiously await every new update.


	3. Chapter 3 Oregon Coincidences

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing; Stephenie and JK own these worlds. I just slammed them together. Hard.  
**Note:** This chapter contains violence. Please do not read if you are sensitive to domestic abuse.  
**Once again**: no one is magical/or mystical in any way shape or form other than plain awesomeness. This is an AU/AH Crossover.

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Alice dropped Isabella and Hermione off in front of Salvation Army, she was more jittery than usual and kept asking the same question over and over, "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"Al, seriously, it's better if you don't drop us off at home. We'll see you tomorrow okay?" Hermione was now the unusual voice of reason.

"Yeah, okay, I guess… I'd feel better if you called." Hermione raised her eyebrow, and Alice shook her head knowingly, "I get it, I get it. I'll see you tomorrow."

Hermione and Isabella entered the store quietly, and went immediately to the coat racks. Hermione tsked at nearly everything she put her hands on, "I just want something that doesn't look like it's from 1992. Is that so hard to ask for?" Isabella let out a small snort of laughter.

"How about you ask for something that will just keep you warm?"

"Because I stand out enough without the silly coat." Hermione sighed, and leaned up against the end of the clothing rack. Isabella continued rifling through the jackets again and pulled out a fleece zip up.

"What about this one? There's two… same sizes." Hermione nodded in reluctant approval and the girls took their coats to the check out.

"Do I know you?" The cashier asked eying both girls closely, "You girls look very familiar… Do I know you from somewhere?" Hermione and Isabella both shrugged.

"I don't think so." Isabella replied skeptically.

"You didn't grow up somewhere in Godrick's Hollow did you?"

"In Oregon?" The cashier nodded, "Um…no, we were raised in Washington."

"Oh, alright. You just remind me of someone I used to know."

"Who?" Hermione inquired.

Isabella elbowed her with her good arm, "You're so nosey." She whispered.

"No, it's okay, really. My little sister."

"You don't know her anymore?"

"She was –uh– murdered a long time ago." The cashier hung her head

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!" Hermione apologized. The woman finished ringing up their items jackets and the girls set off in the direction of home.

***~*ROOT*~***

Isabella stirred the spaghetti carefully, adding in hints of garlic and her secret recipe for tomato sauce. She wasn't sure where her love of cooking came from, but she tried to create recipes during Culinary Arts class in school. She hoped that James would over enjoy himself and go to sleep on a happy and full stomach. Although the former was extremely unlikely, she allowed herself to believe.

Isabella allowed herself to imagine what it would be like to have a father who enjoyed his daughter's cooking, who nourished her love of food, and cherished her and her younger sister. A man who she could call _Daddy_, even at age seventeen, instead of by his first name. A guy who would teach her to drive a stick shift, and give her prom dates the third degree. In his place, Isabella had her uncle; a man she hardly knew, one who broke her, and forced her to become an adult and face a cruel James-enforced world.

She turned on the small television in the kitchen to the Food Network while she cooked, inserting the necessary "BAM!" as she watched Emril make a meal similar to the one she was cooking. Her fantasy however, was short lived with a loud car door slam bringing her back to reality. She rushed to turn off the television, and heard Hermione rushing down the stairs to the kitchen. The backdoor opened and crashed shut just as Hermione skid into the kitchen.

"YOU LITTLE FUCKING BITCH!" Isabella didn't have to turn around to know he was talking to her. "I got a call from the school today…and you know what they said?" His tone was harsher than usual, if that was possible. She heard him open and close the refrigerator, no doubt grabbing a beer, before he walked over to her and grabbed her by the bad arm and spun her around. She tried not to wince in pain, knowing that would just make it worse in the end. "Well do you? No? Didn't fucking think so. They said that you, clumsy little fucker that you fell down the stairs and broke your arm. Are you seriously that stupid?" He shook her, the cold neck of the bottle and the sharp metal cap dug into Isabella's arm, "Well are you? Actually don't bother. I already know the answer. Do you know how much this is going to cost me in co-pays?"

"But we don't need a co…" Hermione interjected, but was quickly interrupted

"Did I fucking ask you?" Letting go of one of Isabella's arms, he swung the heavy forty ounce beer at Hermione. Isabella jumped from his grasp and quickly placed herself between the unforgiving bottle and her sister. The base of the bottle made contact with Isabella's eyebrow, she could feel her skin burst open, blood dripping down into, and stinging her eye. She stumbled backwards a few steps before falling to the floor.

"You!" He pointed at Hermione, "Go fucking do something with yourself, asshole. You're not eating. Actually neither of you are eating. Dream the fuck on." Hermione stood from the table, hanging her head and walked up to her room.

"And YOU," He grabbed Isabella up off the floor, "Finish cooking _my_ food and then get the fuck out of here." He dropped her arms and stormed in to the living room. Isabella, albeit dizzy, quickly finished cooking; stirring the pasta and sauce together; and spooning it all out into a bowl, holding a kitchen towel to her eye as she cooked.

"James… your food is ready." She said timidly entering the living room. He was sitting with his feet up on the coffee table. He grunted at her and simply pointed up the stairs. Heavily, and empty bellied she went to the upstairs bathroom. She cleaned her eye as well as she could and practiced covering up the mark with makeup. Without saying much to Hermione she finished her homework and got ready for bed, there was no use staying awake and thinking about how much her body hurt, and how hungry she was.

***~*ROOT*~***

"Bella?" Hermione shook her sister awake, "Bella, wake up." Isabella sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes and looking at the time. It was just past three A.M.

"What's wrong?" Her voice was groggy, unready to be awake for the day.

"He left. He started swearing and slamming doors, then he grabbed his keys and left."

"What?" Isabella, asked more alert now, "Where did he go?"

"Well, he was screaming at whoever was on the phone with him. That's what woke me—"

"But where did he go?"

"Oregon."

"WHAT! Why?" Hermione shrugged, and both girls quickly got out of bed. "I'm so hungry."

"I know, me too." The girls headed into the kitchen together, making sure to be quiet incase James decided to make a turn around. Happily they enjoyed omelets and toast before heading back to bed before a few hours. They both woke up with smiles on their faces, and the amazing sense of relief.

"What are we going to do about your eye?"

"Ugh, I forgot! I think I can just cover it up with makeup. Maybe people will just assume it's from when I fell down the stairs… if they notice."

"Yeah, maybe." Hermione sighed, an uneasy feeling hit the pit of her stomach knowing the inquiry she and Isabella would be facing from Mrs. Cullen that day.

Walking to the bus was much better now that they had warm jackets. The watched as their breath floated by their faces in the crisp fall air. They watched as the bus came around the bend of the road, stopping a few houses down to pick up the Weasley kids.

"I think we'll probably need mittens pretty soo—WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Hermione screamed to her sister. Isabella, who was a few steps behind Hermione, was frantically picking at the scab above her eyebrow, a small amount of blood began dripping down her face again. Just as the bus was coming, Isabella started running to where her sister was standing next to the mailbox. Tripping and hitting her head on the sharp outgoing mail flag, Isabella let out a loud yelp. "Bella!"

The bus stopped in front of the driveway, "Oh God! Are you alright Isabella?" The driver yelled from inside. Isabella stood her hand covering her eye, and got on the bus.

"Yes… uh… nothing a little ice and a Band-Aid won't cure right?" The driver nodded, putting the bus in park and taking out her first aid kit.

"Oh, Nancy, you don't have to stop! I'll just take my Band-Aid to my seat; Hermione can fix it for me, right?" Hermione nodded silently and the girls took seats behind Ron and Ginny Weasley.

"You're mental." Hermione shook her head at her sister as she bandaged her eye. "You're freakin mental."

"It's better than being questioned by you-know-who. At least the bus driver saw me fall."

"I guess you're right. Hey you know what's weird?"

"What?" Asked Isabella as the bus came to a stop at the school

"That cashier yesterday, Renee, she said Godrick's Hollow was in Oregon." Hermione gathered her backpack and the wrappers from the bandages.

"First of all, how do you remember her name? And secondly, so what?"

"James is in Oregon, don't you think that's a weird coincidence?"

Isabella thought for a moment, "I think you look for too many coincidences, and you're going to turn into nosey Mrs. Cullen. I'll see you at lunch." Both girls laughed as they headed towards their homerooms.

***~*ROOT*~***

"Hermione Granger! How can I help you?" The secretary in the Guidance Office asked sweetly

"Hi, Mrs. Cenzo, I was wondering if it was possible to get a Xerox of my school records? It's kind of silly really… but I'm applying to this Summer institute at University of Washington, and I have to submit a copy." Hermione flashed Mrs. Cenzo a smile, hoping that her lie was not too unambiguous.

"Sure, dear, not a problem! You'll just have to come back in a few periods while I gather your information, alright?"

Hermione thanked Mrs. Cenzo and backed out of the office, nearly skipping to her next class. Algebra and English went be excruciatingly slow. Almost everyone else was dreading the double block of gym class that lay ahead, but Hermione was actually happy that they were swimming laps in class.

"You're so weird." Ginny nudged Hermione's elbow, "No wonder you, Harry, and Ron get on so well… you're all fish." Hermione laughed before jumping into the water.

"I don't have to think in here. It's just me, my breath, and the water." She pushed off the end of the pool, gliding towards the opposite end. Easily finishing the required twenty laps, she decided to play over achiever and do another set of twenty

Coach McGonagall blew her whistle signaling the end of class and Hermione reluctantly got out. Before she reached the locker room, Coach gently tapped Hermione on the shoulder, "Miss Granger can I have a quick word with you?" Wide eyed, Hermione followed Coach McGonagall to her small office in between the locker rooms. "Hermione, I was really impressed with your swimming today. Forty laps at that speed is really impressive. Have you ever considered joining the swim team?"

Hermione left the gym with two flyers and a packet of paperwork to try out for the team the following week. A little shimmer of happiness glowed inside her chest, and she floated to the Guidance Office.

"Hello, Hermione… I have all of your paperwork Xeroxed and placed inside a school sealed envelope. This way it'll look more official." Mrs. Cenzo smiled warmly

"Oh, Mrs. Cenzo, you're the best." Hermione happily took the envelope, and again floated through the hallways to lunch.

"What's in the envelope?" Isabella asked her sister, tugging at the edges of the large manila object.

"School records."

"You transferring?" Ron joked, sticking a stolen fry in his mouth

"No, I was just curious what's inside them…" Hermione stuck her finger under the lip of the envelope, ripping it open carefully and dumped the pile of paperwork into her lap. There on the first page, was the answer to her question.

"Bella, look what it says…" Isabella leaned over and examined the part of the page where her sister was pointing

**Hermione Jean Granger  
DOB: September 19, 1996  
Place of Birth: Dean, Oregon**

"Another Oregon coincidence? I'm starting to think these are not coincidences…" Carefully, Hermione put the paperwork back into the envelope, not yet daring to read the rest in front of her friends.

"I'm starting to think you're right."

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**End Note:** Thanks for reading! Don't forget to review! This chapter is a lead in to all the excitement. I've literally been story mapping (which I NEVER do) all day long. Now it's time for homework and sleep!

**Fic Rec:** And Then There's You by StewLuv… I'm not done with it yet… a story with a storyline similar to this one… sooo good! I'm hooked!


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